2002 S e a s o n

The WHAT? Softball era dawned in 2002, coinciding with the emergence of third baseman Kevin Lowery, and shortstop Brad Jensen. In this trio combined with All-Stars such as outfielders Rick Garza and Nestor Toro to produce 14-6 record in Thursday Night Central League. A rift between GM Rusty Shackleford and Coach Vasquez was exposed when Coach refused to play Joey Ratliff regularly at shortstop despite Shackleford request to do so. Seeing Jake Reichert starting as a catcher for 10 games was painful, at best.

The coach’s struggle was also hastened by the feud between Chris Minor and Joey Ratliff. The Coach implored Ratliff to keep the rift in house, so when Chris Minor erupted to the press it hurt both of their futures. The Rebels stayed in the race until the final week but eventually finished in third place, just three games short of winning the Central league crown.

The Rebels got a major contribution from their young homegrown players for the 2002 Fall League, and they contributed greatly to the Rebels' return to Sturtevant, Wi. Sunday Night Fall League. However, it's safe to say the Rebels wouldn't have repeated as Sunday Night Champions and sweep the playoffs without outfielder Nestor Toro being Nestor in Rebel Blue. Toro hit an amazing .820 / .897 / 1.443, with 32 RBI / 48 Runs in 17 games in Sturtevant.

With Nestor, the Rebels repeated as Sunday Night Champions by sweeping both Tri-State Morg in Gm 1, – 22 to 2 … in Gm 2, they defeated Supplement Sol - 27 to 0 for the Fall League Championship.

Overall, it's hard to complain about three playoff appearances in three years, but I think the Rebels could and should have done better than their 38 - 14 overall record. With all the young talent currently in the system, can the Rebels improve upon this record? Yes They Can!

Summer League Roster

Pitchers	Catchers	Infielders	Outfielders	Utility Players
Dennis Wuorenma	Jerry Vasquez	Brad Jensen	Jason Palmer	Howard Birdtard
Jeff Wilson		Chris Minor	Louie Torres	Izzy Solis
		Joey Ratliff	Nestor Toro	Jake Reichert
		Jonathan Schumacher	Rick Garza	Matt Merritt
		Kevin Lowery	Steve Guarini	Tommy Hassan

Summer League Stats

#	Poss	TEAM		Gm	PA	AB	Runs	OB	Hits	O.B.P	1H	2H	3H	4H	S.L.G	X.B.	RBIs	KO	BB	A.V.G	O.P.S	RE	RFC	SF	DP	R / G	OB / G	H / G	BI / G
16	LF	GARZA	Rick	32	117	106	52	75	53	.641	31	8	4	10	.934	22	50	2	11	.500	1.575	11	5	0	0	1.6	2.3	1.7	1.6
22	RC	GUARINI	Steve	39	153	137	52	85	64	.556	45	7	6	6	.737	19	47	4	16	.467	1.293	5	6	0	0	1.3	2.2	1.6	1.2
23	SS	JENSEN	Brad	12	45	42	16	24	20	.533	16	4	0	0	.571	4	15	0	3	.476	1.105	1	3	0	0	1.3	2.0	1.7	1.3
35	OF	LOWERY	Kevin	18	64	55	27	38	29	.594	14	9	1	5	1.000	15	27	1	9	.527	1.594	0	1	0	0	1.5	2.1	1.6	1.5
20	1B	MINOR	Chris	42	157	145	67	84	68	.535	34	11	4	19	.993	34	78	3	12	.469	1.528	4	3	0	0	1.6	2.0	1.6	1.9
24	3B	RATLIFF	Joey	38	137	124	55	74	59	.540	35	12	4	8	.831	24	55	2	13	.476	1.371	2	3	0	0	1.4	1.9	1.6	1.4
25	2B	SCHUMACHER	Jonathan	35	122	101	42	78	53	.639	42	8	2	1	.673	11	30	2	21	.525	1.313	4	5	0	0	1.2	2.2	1.5	0.9
21	LC	TORO	Nestor	20	87	84	40	54	49	.621	31	8	1	9	1.024	18	34	1	3	.583	1.644	2	7	0	0	2.0	2.7	2.5	1.7
29	C	VASQUEZ	Jerry	36	127	118	44	75	64	.591	53	6	4	1	.686	11	41	2	9	.542	1.277	2	3	0	0	1.2	2.1	1.8	1.1
4	P	WILSON	Jeff	39	130	119	38	74	59	.569	48	5	6	0	.639	11	33	5	11	.496	1.208	4	4	0	0	1.0	1.9	1.5	0.8
2	2B	COUVALL	Tony	2	4	3	1	1	0	.250	0	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	1	.000	.250	0	0	0	0	0.5	0.5	0.0	0.0
1	UP	HASSAN	Tommy	37	125	114	42	68	53	.544	43	8	1	1	.579	10	33	5	11	.465	1.123	4	3	0	0	1.1	1.8	1.4	0.9
2	OF	LAURAITIS	R.J.	1	3	3	1	2	2	.667	2	0	0	0	.667	0	0	0	0	.667	1.333	0	0	0	0	1.0	2.0	2.0	0.0
33	OF	PALMER	Jason	10	38	37	16	24	23	.632	14	2	0	7	1.243	9	21	1	1	.622	1.875	0	2	0	0	1.6	2.4	2.3	2.1
40	C	REICHERT	Jake	30	97	88	30	50	35	.515	29	3	2	1	.511	6	21	8	9	.398	1.027	6	4	0	0	1.0	1.7	1.2	0.7
0	OF	SOLIS	Ivan	3	10	10	2	4	4	.400	4	0	0	0	.400	0	1	1	0	.400	.800	0	1	0	0	0.7	1.3	1.3	0.3
30	UP	SOLIS	Izzy	24	93	93	42	55	51	.591	32	9	8	2	.882	19	41	2	0	.548	1.473	4	4	0	0	1.8	2.3	2.1	1.7
18	OF	TORRES	Louie	6	23	21	9	12	9	.522	7	1	0	1	.619	2	6	0	2	.429	1.141	1	1	0	0	1.5	2.0	1.5	1.0
43	SS	VELA	Mike	4	15	15	3	9	9	.600	8	1	0	0	.667	1	6	0	0	.600	1.267	0	0	0	0	0.8	2.3	2.3	1.5
3	P	WUORENMA	Dennis	32	102	98	20	50	44	.490	44	0	0	0	.449	0	23	2	4	.449	.939	2	2	0	0	0.6	1.6	1.4	0.7

		STARTERS		44	1139	1031	433	661	518	.580	349	78	32	59	.812	169	410	22	108	.502	1.392	35	40	0	0	9.8	15.0	11.8	9.3

		T O T A L S		44	1694	1557	609	953	763	.563	541	106	43	73	.754	222	573	43	137	.490	1.317	53	61	0	0	13.8	21.7	17.3	13.0

Most Valuable Player

Chris Minor led his Squad with 19 HRs / 78 RBIs / 67 Runs and games played (42) and was second with 11 doubles and 4 triples. He had career-high marks with a 7.6 WAR and .993 slugging percentage showing just how valuable he was for the Rebels. Those numbers are strong on their own, but they look even better when compared to the rest of the league.

Chris Minor ranked seventh on his Squad in average, tenth in on-base percentage, third in slugging percentage, fourth in walks and first in extra base hits. In addition to the traditional numbers, Minor had an impressive 1.528 OPS, ranking among the tops in softball in each category.

Rookie of the Year

Nestor Toro need to clear room on his mantles for some new hardware. The Rebel outfielder was named the Lake County Rookie of the Year award winner. Over the course of his first full softball campaign, Toro solidified himself as one of the league’s most impactful leadoff batters. The 19-year-old batted .583 / .621 on-base percentage / 1.024 slugging percentage across 87 plate appearances, with 9 HRs, 34 RBIs, 40 Runs and 18 extra base hits.

Nestor Toro made his team debut on October 16th, 2001 against Hitmen Squad at Belvidere South, going 2 for 3, with a RBI / Run. Collected his home run on Sunday October 28th, 2001 vs. Jack Auto Softball at Sturtevant, Wi.

Fall League Stats

#	Poss	TEAM		Gm	PA	AB	Runs	OB	Hits	O.B.P	1H	2H	3H	4H	S.L.G	X.B.	RBIs	KO	BB	A.V.G	O.P.S	RE	RFC	SF	DP	R / G	OB / G	H / G	BI / G
16	LF	GARZA	Rick	32	117	106	52	75	53	.641	31	8	4	10	.934	22	50	2	11	.500	1.575	11	5	0	0	1.6	2.3	1.7	1.6
22	RC	GUARINI	Steve	39	153	137	52	85	64	.556	45	7	6	6	.737	19	47	4	16	.467	1.293	5	6	0	0	1.3	2.2	1.6	1.2
23	SS	JENSEN	Brad	12	45	42	16	24	20	.533	16	4	0	0	.571	4	15	0	3	.476	1.105	1	3	0	0	1.3	2.0	1.7	1.3
35	OF	LOWERY	Kevin	18	64	55	27	38	29	.594	14	9	1	5	1.000	15	27	1	9	.527	1.594	0	1	0	0	1.5	2.1	1.6	1.5
20	1B	MINOR	Chris	42	157	145	67	84	68	.535	34	11	4	19	.993	34	78	3	12	.469	1.528	4	3	0	0	1.6	2.0	1.6	1.9
24	3B	RATLIFF	Joey	38	137	124	55	74	59	.540	35	12	4	8	.831	24	55	2	13	.476	1.371	2	3	0	0	1.4	1.9	1.6	1.4
25	2B	SCHUMACHER	Jonathan	35	122	101	42	78	53	.639	42	8	2	1	.673	11	30	2	21	.525	1.313	4	5	0	0	1.2	2.2	1.5	0.9
21	LC	TORO	Nestor	20	87	84	40	54	49	.621	31	8	1	9	1.024	18	34	1	3	.583	1.644	2	7	0	0	2.0	2.7	2.5	1.7
29	C	VASQUEZ	Jerry	36	127	118	44	75	64	.591	53	6	4	1	.686	11	41	2	9	.542	1.277	2	3	0	0	1.2	2.1	1.8	1.1
4	P	WILSON	Jeff	39	130	119	38	74	59	.569	48	5	6	0	.639	11	33	5	11	.496	1.208	4	4	0	0	1.0	1.9	1.5	0.8
2	2B	COUVALL	Tony	2	4	3	1	1	0	.250	0	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	1	.000	.250	0	0	0	0	0.5	0.5	0.0	0.0
1	UP	HASSAN	Tommy	37	125	114	42	68	53	.544	43	8	1	1	.579	10	33	5	11	.465	1.123	4	3	0	0	1.1	1.8	1.4	0.9
2	OF	LAURAITIS	R.J.	1	3	3	1	2	2	.667	2	0	0	0	.667	0	0	0	0	.667	1.333	0	0	0	0	1.0	2.0	2.0	0.0
33	OF	PALMER	Jason	10	38	37	16	24	23	.632	14	2	0	7	1.243	9	21	1	1	.622	1.875	0	2	0	0	1.6	2.4	2.3	2.1
40	C	REICHERT	Jake	30	97	88	30	50	35	.515	29	3	2	1	.511	6	21	8	9	.398	1.027	6	4	0	0	1.0	1.7	1.2	0.7
0	OF	SOLIS	Ivan	3	10	10	2	4	4	.400	4	0	0	0	.400	0	1	1	0	.400	.800	0	1	0	0	0.7	1.3	1.3	0.3
30	UP	SOLIS	Izzy	24	93	93	42	55	51	.591	32	9	8	2	.882	19	41	2	0	.548	1.473	4	4	0	0	1.8	2.3	2.1	1.7
18	OF	TORRES	Louie	6	23	21	9	12	9	.522	7	1	0	1	.619	2	6	0	2	.429	1.141	1	1	0	0	1.5	2.0	1.5	1.0
43	SS	VELA	Mike	4	15	15	3	9	9	.600	8	1	0	0	.667	1	6	0	0	.600	1.267	0	0	0	0	0.8	2.3	2.3	1.5
3	P	WUORENMA	Dennis	32	102	98	20	50	44	.490	44	0	0	0	.449	0	23	2	4	.449	.939	2	2	0	0	0.6	1.6	1.4	0.7

		STARTERS		44	1139	1031	433	661	518	.580	349	78	32	59	.812	169	410	22	108	.502	1.392	35	40	0	0	9.8	15.0	11.8	9.3

		T O T A L S		44	1694	1557	609	953	763	.563	541	106	43	73	.754	222	573	43	137	.490	1.317	53	61	0	0	13.8	21.7	17.3	13.0

This is an authentic softball card of the Rebels' All-Star rookie first basemen Rick Garza and starting pitcher Jeff Wilson. There is a certificate of authenticity from Blazing Star Sport Cards on the back of the card. Rick Garza 2002 "Gold Glove Winner" Softball Autograph Signatures Card.

WHAT?

2002 S e a s o n

Summer League Roster

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Utility Players

Summer League Stats

Most Valuable Player

Rookie of the Year

Fall League Stats

This is an authentic softball card of the Rebels' All-Star rookie first basemen Rick Garza and starting pitcher Jeff Wilson. There is a certificate of authenticity from Blazing Star Sport Cards on the back of the card. Rick Garza 2002 "Gold Glove Winner" Softball Autograph Signatures Card.